Rhode Island Department of Education
Lesson Plan
andrew d

Lesson Title:Analyzing Photosynthesis Lab

State Standards: GLEs/GSEs

1a
explaining the relationships between and amongst the specialized structures of the cell and their functions (e.g. transport of materials, energy transfer, protein building, waste disposal, information feedback, and even movement).

National Standards:

Context of Lesson:

This lesson begins the lab on photosynthesis. it has a relatively simple procedure which will last two days. The class will do the lab and then clean up and set up their experiments in a well lighted area. Once this lab has been finished and everything is cleaned we will finish discussing the Calvin Cycle. This is a good time for this lab because it will hopefully give the class a chance to see photosynthesis in action.
Overview of lesson, including: where it fits in unit, what are key ideas and what will students be doing.

Opportunities to Learn:

Depth of Knowledge

Webb's DOK- Level 3 Strategic Thinking
At this point in school all students should be able to work in a lab safely and effectively. I'm hoping for clear cut results so students can easily see why the results happened. This is also another chance to see the students succeeding in groups and making good use of time. I encourage group work because i think it is a skill that shouldn't be avoided, but taught constantly because of how often people work in groups or teams in the real world.

Prerequisite Knowledge

  • Lab safety
  • Knowledge of Photosynthesis
  • Formulating a hypothesis

Plans for Differentiating Instruction

My plan for differentiating instruction involves making sure the necessary students have a hypothesis that both makes sense and gives them something to analyze and look for. I wnat to be sure that each students has the resources to contribute to the group group and his or her understanding.

Accommodations and modifications

Environmental factors

Materials

  • disposable gloves
  • lab apron
  • safety goggles
  • 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask (3)
  • bromothymol blue
  • 5 cm. sprigs of Elodea(2)
  • Water
  • drinking straw
  • plastic wrap
  • 100 mL graduated cylinder

Objectives:

  • Complete Analyzing Photosynthesis Lab
  • Finish Calvin Cycle topics

Instruction:

Opening:

  • To start the class I will walk around and check the hypothesis of each student and take attendance.
  • While I am taking attendance and checking homework students will answer the question, "why is writing a hypothesis important in an experiment." I think the scientific process is a necessary guide to every experiment and I'd like my students to understand it.
  • Next, as a class depending on the amount of equipment we will break off into groups and each do the same experiment. I will circulate around the class helping with procedure and any questions the kids have. this Lab should not take much more than 20 min.

Engagement:

  • The students will do this lab as a group
    • Put on disposable gloves, lab apron, and safety goggles
    • Label flasks 1,2,3
    • Add 200 mL of water and 20 drops of bromothymol blue to each flask
    • Put the drinking straw in flask 1 and blow into the blue solution until the solution turns yellow. Repeat this step with flask 2
    • Put one Elodea sprig in flask 1. Do nothing to flask 2. put the other elodea sprig in flask 3
    • Cover all flasks with plastic wrap. Place the flask in a well-lighted location, and leave them over-night.
    • Record observations-
      • for analysis explain what caused one of the solutions to change color. why did the other solutions not change color? which flask is the control
  • This is not a one day experiment because we will then set up the Erlenmeyer flasks up so they can have a light source.
  • The lab will be finished the next day.

Closure:

  • To finish the class they will write an exit slip talking about how they think the lab went.
  • What their hypothesis was and if they still think that it will be correct.
  • What they would have done differently
  • What problems they encountered

Assessment:

  • Hypothesis


Reflections

(only done after lesson is enacted)

Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:

Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:

Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency: